Have you admired the lyrical black and white work of other photographers and wondered how you could bring those dramatic qualities to your own images? In this class, students will learn how monochromatic images can be refined to express deeper meaning. Go beyond thinking of black and white as just a digital filter, and explore how tonal range, balance, and contrast affects the mood, emotion, and meaning of an image. We’ll explore how black and white allows for radically different tonal interpretations of the same photograph, and how that can alter our perception of the subject matter. Through analysis and discussion of both contemporary photography and student work, we’ll examine the character of black and white vs. color. We’ll also dive into technical considerations (exposure, processing, workflow) and work with the powerful tools available in Adobe Lightroom Classic to make purposeful conversions that are superior to the flat, desaturated images that are produced by default. Through weekly assignments and shooting exercises, students will expand their understanding of the language of black and white photography and apply the lessons with certainty to their own work.